From the Desk of…

Bulletin articles and other news from the ministers

Sharpening Our Knives

June 27, 2008
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“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”  Proverbs 27:17

As a child, I never understood what a big metal stick had to do with sharpening knives. I just knew that occasionally my mom would pull it from its spot in the pantry and start sharpening. To me it looked like more of a one-person sword-fighting competition than sharpening! I couldn’t understand how a bunch of scraping noises would equal a knife that peeled my apples better!

There’s nothing special about a sharpening steel that magically sharpens knives. It’s simply the fact that it is sturdy and strong—and that its surface rubs together with the knife you’re working on.

Our new Sunday night Bible groups are a lot like that knife steel: they’re not very fancy, they’re just strong with a biblical foundation and potent because they give us a chance to interact with God’s message and each other.

We believe that any person can approach the Bible, study it honestly and sincerely, and find what God wants him to know. Didn’t Jesus say “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”? (John 8:28). Starting next Sunday night, we’re acting on that belief. We’ll join together for half hour of study and while doing so, we will interact with and sharpen each other, just as God described in Proverbs.

This is new for us—it’s a special chance to sharpen and be sharpened. Our prayer is that we’ll be encouraged and well fed from God’s word before we conclude all together with a brief worship service and observance of the Lord’s Supper.

 If you want to kick-start your Bible study, and you want to refill your tanks—join us next Sunday night ready to sharpen away! I’m looking forward to learning together!

Meeting Needs through Bible Study

June 27, 2008
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Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

A change is coming on Sunday nights at Burns.  Beginning the first Sunday night in July we will move to a new format for our gathering.  We will move to more emphasis on individual Bible study within small groups.

We will begin our group Bible study at 6:00 and continue until 6:40.  At this time we will assemble in the auditorium and group leaders will share a few things his group had learned in the group study. We will serve the Lord’s Supper for those who haven’t had the opportunity to partake in the morning.  We will close by extending the invitation and conclude with prayer.

All those who are regular attendees on Sunday night will be assigned a group.  These groups will meet in various places in our building. Others who wish to be part of this new format can let one of the elders know and you will be in a group.  Any visitors will be assigned a group as well.

We will try this format for July and August and will evaluate it as the summer ends.  We believe that this will be better use of our time spent together on Sunday nights.  We hope that this will encourage others to be present on Sunday nights.

We believe this format will better meet the needs of our Burns family.

  • The need for spiritual growth
  • The need for friendship, support and encouragement
  • The need for strength in the face of temptation and trial
  • The need to give and receive love
  • The need to serve others

We look forward to the study of II Samuel as we begin this new Sunday night group Bible study.  We pray that you will see that this format can be special for you and your family.        

 

Three Tips for Bible Reading

June 20, 2008
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I treasure your word in my heart, So that I may not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

Most of us at one time or another pick up our Bibles and read a few verses.  Now it would go without saying that we don’t do this as much as we could or should. Some are diligent about their daily reading of the Word and others play the hit and miss game.

Here are some suggestions for us as we read the Bible:

  1. Read the Bible devotionally. Select a paragraph or a chapter and read it as if God is talking to you.  As you devote yourself to the reading of scripture God will make some things clear for you.  It will enliven your day and make the activities more in keeping with the will of the father.  We need a little quiet time with scripture and prayer as we go thorough the day.
  2. It might be helpful to carry a small Bible with you in your purse or pocket.  You will find a small bit of time at lunch or coffee when you can pull the Bible out and read a few verses.  There are a few moments of each day when we can find a place and a time to read the Scriptures.
  3. Read the Bible contextually.  By this I mean that it is good to read in one book for a week or a few days.  You will get the context of that book and will be more likely to get the real message of the writer.  There may be special places that you like to read and this is good.  There are special verses that you will want to treasure in your heart.  But reading from Philippians for a week will let you get acquainted with the full message of Paul.

This is not Bible study.  Bible study is much more intense and focused.  When you are studying the Bible you will want to sit down with your favorite translation, a couple of other translations close by and a good study Bible with notes to help you get the flow of the text.  Bible study involves reading and research.  There are many good commentaries and Bible Dictionaries as well as internet tools for Bible study.  Use these wisely. 

What Next? Relationships!

June 16, 2008
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This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man. Genesis 2:23

Some things are still surprising. You can be fired for referring to the Bible in a class-oom. A display of the Ten Commandments will be  reason  for governors  to be dismissed from office. Same-sex marriages are the talk of the day. What next?

Well, it has happened  in France. A woman has been married  to  the Eiffel Tower.

Now for those who are unfamiliar with the tower in Paris, France, it is a beautiful structure that you can enter and from the top see Paris in its beauty. Now this: Erika La Tour Eiffel, 37, a former soldier who lives in San Francisco, has been in  love with objects before. Her  first infatuation was with Lance, a bow that helped her to become a world-class archer. She is fond of the Berlin Wall and she claims to have a physical relationship with a piece of fence she keeps in her bedroom.

But it is the Eiffel Tower she has pledged to love, honor and obey in an intimate ceremony attended by a handful of friends. She has changed her name legally to reflect the bond.

Because of  the direction our world  is going, nothing will make sense in the coming years, or maybe, men will come to their  senses. Marrying objects, animals, more  than one wife/husband will  be  the  order  of  the  day  as  evil men  and  seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. (II Timothy 3:13)
 
Homosexuality has been around our sin-stained world for a long time and it will be around as long as mankind lives in its sinful state. When men and women exchange natural relations for unnatural there is a penalty for their perversion. (Romans 1:26-27)

There will be surprises in our world of tomorrow. When churches are considered the bad people and the gangs are considered  the good people. It may be closer  than we  think. 

Have you read the news lately?

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Tough Temptation

June 7, 2008
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No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. I Corinthians 10:13

Martin Luther wrote a beautiful and powerful hymn during his battle with temptation. He titled it “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our strivings would be losing,
Were not the right One on our side,
The man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that might be?
Christ Jesus, it is He –
Lord Sabaoth is his name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

There is an interesting statement in verse 9 of Jude. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Maybe we need a little help with temptation. Relying on our own power is foolish when there is available the power of heaven. We think we can go it alone but the Devil has a way about him that leaves us powerless. AA says that to be successful in breaking the hold of an addiction we must turn our lives over to a power greater than ourselves.

The rest of the verse from I Corinthians 10 reads: And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

It is the powerful heart of God that reaches down in our moment of weakness and gives us the power to overcome. He will provide a way of escape!

Be Strong and of Good Courage

June 3, 2008
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Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise. Joshua 1:2

Ever get depressed when a loved one dies? It is especially difficult when one dies who is close to us and one on whom we depend for so much. When a great friend or comrade falls we feel as if the future is dark and the nights of depression can easily set in.

What if a leader on whom a whole nation had depended for forty years is suddenly gone and the wilderness looks so foreboding and dangerous? What if the one to whom your God had spoken face to face was suddenly gone and fear was prevalent in the hearts of thousands?

How would you feel? Alone? Forsaken? Lost?

Think about how Joshua might have felt when his long time friend Moses was gone. For forty years Joshua and Moses had been constant companions. They had come through the plagues of Egypt together – Joshua was a first born. They had led the people of Israel through forty years of wanderings. They had witnessed the almighty power of God in miracle after miracle. These were all done at the hand of Moses. Now he is gone.

There is little wonder that God needed to say to Joshua and his people Be strong and of a good courage. They are going to need all they can muster. The wilderness is behind them, the river is before them and enemies are on every hill. The story could have ended here for Israel. It will not end because God says “it’s not over. And Joshua is my man for the task before you.”

Though he literally trembled when he was called to succeed his great mentor, he grabbed hold of God’s hand and God’s promises and led Israel to the Promised Land. He understands that God knows our weaknesses and will be there for him.

Today we begin a study of this great character of the Old Testament. Be in class each Sunday morning at 9:00 for this challenging study.

Lord Willing?

May 28, 2008
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“If it is the Lord’s will, We will live and do this or that.” James 4:15

Tomorrow may never arrive. Yesterday is gone. We have only the present. This last statement is not absolutely true. We have more than the present. We have God!

It is always good to say “If the Lord is willing.” It reminds us that we are the Lord’s people and He is ours. We are the sheep of His pasture: Know ye that the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. (Psalm 100:3)

In 1643 the Westminster Assembly met to reform the English church. The assembly was led in prayer by a self-willed cleric whose petition was, “Lord, we beseech Thee that Thou wilt guide us aright, for we are determined.”

Did you notice the last statement, “For we are determined”? Exactly what does this mean? Had he not already made up his mind? Why beseech the Lord when he is already determined? Let’s not be too accusing. There are times when we go to the Lord in prayer and we already know what we are going to do and we just want him to place his stamp of approval on what we have decided. It is a bit like the old boy who prayed “Lord please give me a Christian wife who will help me to live a good Christian life, and please let it be Mary Ellen.”

It would be good for us to back away for a bit and let God work in our minds and hearts. Before we make up our minds about the direction for our lives, we should say, “What is your will O, God”? When we start with our minds already made up we can get ourselves deeper into the mire of our own making. But if we wait on the Lord, He will help us to mount up with the wings of eagles and move ahead in life. (Isaiah 40:31)

We can live and accomplish much tomorrow because God is there but we need to seek His will. If it is the Lord’s will.

Thinking about Self

May 18, 2008
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For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Romans 12:3 NIV

How do you think of yourself? Is the way you think about yourself even close to the way God thinks about you? What ideas and concepts are different than the way God looks at you?

Either God knows who you really are or he doesn’t. Playing games with God is useless. It also leaves us vulnerable to the Devil’s schemes. Another part of the above verse is but to think with sober judgment.

We need to experience the reality of who we are. Once we experience this we can move to what God envisions for us. We have all sinned and God knows this.

That’s why He sent His son to bring us back to Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (I John 4:10)

If you think of yourself differently than God thinks, who is mistaken, you or God? Now God looks at us as sinners but never undervalues us. But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6)

If you undervalue yourself and say you are just a bunch of bad DNA, you are not looking at yourself as God looks. You are marvelously and wonderfully made and you should never look at yourself as junk or think that God made you junk.  I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knows right well. (Psalm 139:14 KJV)

Prayer Changes Things!

May 10, 2008
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In 1 Samuel 1 there’s a story about a woman who had one more prayer than she had answers. She was her husband’s favorite wife, but her rival taunted her by constantly reminding her of her barrenness.

Had her faith been weaker, her barrenness might have become a stumbling block, but it was not so for Hannah. Instead, she fled towards the presence of God. Like a small child, she made her request over and over again, even while weeping bitterly. Her fervent prayer was so outstanding that the priest Eli observed her and was convinced that she had one too many before coming to the tabernacle that day.

You may know the rest of the story. God intercedes on Hannah’s behalf and grants her a boy, Samuel. (Samuel sounds like the Hebrew phrase heard of God.) Hannah did what she promised and dedicated the boy’s life to the service of God.

Samuel had an amazing “career” as a minister. It got off to a difficult start when he had to rebuke the last great judge, Eli, on account of his worthless sons. He anointed Israel’s first and second kings, and he made a begrudging post-mortem appearance to set the then-apostate Saul straight.

It’s fitting then, to know that even before his birth, he was the subject of intense prayer. Jeremiah’s prophecy had a similar backstory. God told him outright, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

Prayer is powerful. I saw a note the other day that said “Do you want to change your preacher? Pray for him.” Jesus said we should pray for our enemies. He prayed for his disciples, for the church, and even for the city that rejected him. Who are you praying for today?

 

What Would Jesus Spend?

May 5, 2008
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Life is more than food, clothes, cars, and cash, right?

Jesus thinks so. He once warned a man who was upset about his family’s inheritance to “take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15).  He offered this teaching right before telling a parable about a rich man who hoarded his good and looked forward to a luxurious retirement. Do you remember what Jesus called this man? A fool! (12:20).

Almost every news story I saw this week talked about the economy. Gas is approaching $4 per gallon. Rice and flour are rationed in some stores. Homes are in foreclosure and the stock market has been wavering. Is this news bothering you? For most Americans, the answer is “yes!”

Being light in a dark world means that we should be different. Remember when Jesus said “Seek ye first the kingdom of God”? He meant that our focus should be on kingdom-building instead of keeping a worried eye on the evening news.

If we’re truly different, and if we truly have the comfort and peace that passes understanding, we can learn to “consider the lilies of the field” (Lk 12:27) and learn to be content in whatever situations we find ourselves in (Philippians 4:11).

We’re getting “economic stimulus” checks sometime in the next month. Have you thought about what you’ll do with yours? The government is giving you an opportunity to glorify the name of Jesus. (That doesn’t happen every day!) Will we build bigger barns, lay up treasures on earth, get new toys, and try to buy contentment OR will we build up the kingdom of God? This is a great opportunity to help our missionaries or the needy…or even begin a new ministry!

So, think about how the world and the Savior will see your actions. The choice is ours: economic stimulus or spiritual stimulus? Let’s seek first his kingdom.

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